[5] The school is named after Charles F. Kettering, co-founder of DELCO and head of research at General Motors for 27 years.

[6] Construction began in 1961 with removal of housing on the land where Kettering would stand, but due to financial difficulties and worker strikes, the school did not open until fall 1965.

[8] Additional classrooms and the gym were built between 1967 and 1969; a pool was planned but was delayed until 1975 by Milliken v. Bradley, a major move towards desegregation in DPS.

[7] The city itself was dramatically segregated and enrollment records show 89% of Kettering was Black while Denby High School, just 5 miles away, was 93% White.

[15] Gang violence increased; in 1989, starting quarterback Raheem Wells was murdered, allegedly so his killers could steal his Nikes and overcoat.

[33][28][34] Hoophouses were built, crops were planted, and the auditorium and athletics wings were meant to be turned into food production facilities, but the district continued to struggle financially and the project fizzled out.

[7][35] In 2019, Dakkota Integrated Systems purchased Kettering and a nearby defunct school, Rose Elementary, for $2.6 million.

[43] Detroit Allied Health Middle College High School (DAHMCHS) opened in 2007 by DPS to lower drop-out rates by offering introductory vocational training in healthcare professions and dual-enrollment options.